Alone Together: The Dog Community in Quarantine
Let’s get real for a minute, gang. I usually write this blog for the sake of public education, but right now, I think we could all use a little honesty and sincere human connection.
In the past month, our worlds have been flipped completely on their heads. Most of us have been stuck inside with shelter in place or safer at home orders, businesses are closing left and right, school and work has pivoted to exist online, parks and trails are closed to the public, masks are required to leave the house in some counties. It still feels a bit surreal. Some days, I feel like I’ve adjusted to the new “normal” and can be productive on the computer or go get some exercise, and other days I’m completely overwhelmed and, for the sake of full transparency, a little bit scared. I don’t know about all of you, but I’m definitely experiencing some emotional whiplash.
Usually, I’m the type of person who loves diving head-first into academic and educational media. I listen to behavior analysis podcasts, I read the latest articles in academic journals, and I sign up for any webinar I can get my hands on. I eat, breathe, and sleep behavior. Lately, though, I feel like I’m at my capacity for information intake as news and updates on covid-19 continue to blow up my social media feeds.
So this week, instead of presenting a lesson on training or behavior, I thought we could all use a little bit of fun and escapism. In the past month, we’ve also seen an incredible surge of people striving to build community through online platforms. As divisive as social media can be, at its core, it's just human beings trying to connect with other human beings. My favorite corners of social media have always been the ones full of dogs, so let’s all enjoy some cute dog videos and fun or silly training activities together! Even if you don’t feel up to participating in any of these challenges, they’re still worth checking out for your daily dose of lighthearted media.
Dog Parkour Quarantine Title
Dog Parkour is a fantastic low-pressure sport designed to make neighborhood walks more exciting by using the environment as your own personal agility course. In the wake of the covid-19 crisis, the International Dog Parkour Association has created a special Quarantine title that you and your dog can earn from the safety of your living room!
AKC Trick Dog
AKC trick dog titles have always been a great way to enjoy training with your dog by working on cute or funny behaviors (and earning ribbons; who doesn’t like ribbons?) The AKC recently adapted their evaluation guidelines and we can now accept digital entries! Cassie and I are both certified AKC evaluators; send us your trick videos and we would be happy to help you and your dog apply for titles! Keep an eye out on our page for trick dog class announcements!
Tic Tac Toe Challenge
Do you ever wish your dog could play board games with you? Well now they (sort of) can! This is a super cute way to pass a little time and have fun with your dog. If your dog is a chow hound, try this with extra-chewy treats to slow their roll a little bit. If you feel especially motivated, you can throw in some “stay” or “wait” practice while you play.
Toilet Paper Jump Challenge
Who said agility had to be fancy? For this challenge, you’ll just need some rolls of TP and a handful of treats. We recommend working on a surface with good traction for your dog. You can use a hand target (“touch”) cue to encourage your dog to hop over each layer!
Crime Scene Challenge
This one is admittedly a little on the morbid side (shoutout to all the other true crime fans out there), but it makes for some cute photos and it’s a killer way to practice an advanced leave it! Make sure your dog understands the leave it game before trying this one; send us an email if you need instructions!
Easter Egg Challenge
How gently can your dog hold something in their mouth? This challenge was originally intended to use a real egg, but the brilliant Emily Larlham (Kikopup) put a festive spin on it by switching it out for a plastic easter egg instead. You can watch her video to learn how to teach your dog to hold things if they’re not a natural born retriever.
Treat Race Challenge
Trainer’s disclaimer: don’t attempt this if your dog has any history or resource guarding! (You can also set up a barrier like an exercise between the participants to keep everyone in their own “lane”). If you’re hurting for a little fun way to pass the time, why not feed your dogs their meals with a little friendly competition?
Peach on a Leash 14-Day Training Challenge
The awesome people over at Peach on a Leash are putting together a fun 14-day training and enrichment challenge with 8 different trainers! You can join the free facebook group to follow along with the daily challenges, learn some new tricks, and get support from a stellar training community.
Our goal with this blog was to provide you with a concise list of fun in-home activities to do with your dog (as well as some light-hearted media to enjoy!). If you know of (or are hosting) other challenges please send them our way and we will add it to the list!
Lastly, we’d love to see you and your dogs having a blast together. Please feel free to tag us in any of your accomplishments @clickstartdogacademy.
When we’re feeling stressed and anxious we love having this awesome canine community to turn to. We’re so thankful for all of you and we’re here for you during these strange times!